Nonlinear natural convective nanofluid flow past a vertical plate

Abstract

Due to practical applications, we are motivated in the present study to analyze the effects of nonlinear natural convection in a nanofluid flow past a vertical plate in the presence of a first-order chemical reaction and thermophoresis (the normal flux of the nanoparticles is zero at the boundary). The two-phase model for the nanofluid is also considered. The governing partial differential equations (PDEs) are transformed to ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using similarity transformations. Numerical solutions for the transformed equations are attained by using a Runge-Kutta method with a shooting technique. The effects of the relevant physical parameters on the velocity, the temperature, and the nanoparticle volume fraction are analyzed. Also, the consequences of the parameters on the flow, heat, and mass transport phenomena are observed and analyzed explicitly. The results of this study are interesting and motivating for further investigations on the problem for different situations and with different geometries.

Keywords:

• Brownian motion
• chemical reaction
• nanofluid
• nonlinear convection
• thermophoresis
• two-phase flow

Acknowledgements

Thanks, are due to the Reviewers and the Editor-in-Chief for their constructive comments that led to a definite improvement in the article.

Disclosure statement

There is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

One of the authors (Sudip Dey) recognizes the financial support approved from UGC through UGC JRF (NTA Ref. No. 211610113714).